Summer 2005 Computer Changes

The Geeks have been busy and there are lots of little changes to University College computers. We hope you find these changes helpful. They were intended to either make your computers easier to use or more secure (sometimes both).

This summer, UNET Computer Services is making significant changes to University College computing.  For example, replacing all center servers, redesigning the network management system from scratch, upgrading or replacing many standard computer applications, replacing all broadcast classroom computers, replacing older classroom projectors, etc.   These changes were envisioned to make UC computing more reliable, more secure and easier to use.  For the most part, the changes are transparent to computer users.  However, several changes are worth pointing out.  Note: These changes take effect AFTER UNET Augusta Computer Services staff visit your center/computer this summer.

• In most cases, staff will now login to their office computer with the same userid and password they use for their @maine.edu email account.  We will advise staff individually on this issue.
  
• The CVA (Center Validation Account) password will be changed periodically by UNET and communicated to center staff.  Center staff will no longer need to change the CVA account password (Yeaaaaaaaa!!!!).
• University College Centers with a Kiosk computer will login to the Kiosk computer with; staff computer userid, @maine.edu userid or the CVA account.  The screen saver is now active on kiosk computers.  This prevents screen burn.  The kiosk screen saver displays a scrolling banner with text customized for each center, e.g., "Welcome to University College, Press Any Key to Access Information, Grades, etc".
  
• To help ensure security and confidentiality of information, staff computers are configured with a locking screen saver.  This means you will need to reenter your password if you don't touch your keyboard or mouse for more than 15 minutes.  To save electricity, the computer monitor will blank after 20 minutes.  If the monitor is blank when you return to your computer, move the mouse or hit the SHIFT key.  You may change the "Screen Saver" selection in the "Display" control panel if you don't like the default Windows screen saver.  Please do not change other display settings.
  
• Computers in the lab/classrooms no longer automatically reboot after 30 minutes of inactivity.  This is a bug and appears to be caused by recent updates to Windows XP.  We are working on a solution.  Please make sure the lab/classroom computers, and not just the monitors, are turned off at the end of each day.  The computer is on if the light on the CPU power switch is green.
• All network printers have been renamed to a new naming standard to assist with printer management.  We have tried to make the names self-explanatory, e.g., OFFICELaser for the shared office laser printer.  Please let us know if there is confusion about which printer is which.
• We are now providing PCL and Postscript drivers for most network printers to ensure compatibility.  In general, select the PCL driver and only use the Postscript (PS) driver if you are having a problem printing.
  
• All computers now include a simple PDF creator.  This feature allows you to create a PDF file from any application or program on the computer.  This is useful if you need to send a document to someone who may not have the program you created the document in or if you find that email attachments of certain documents are being deleted by antivirus systems, e.g., Word documents.  Create a PDF file by "printing" your document from within the application and then selecting "PDF Creator" from your printer list.  Note: This simple PDF creator DOES NOT CREATE ADA-COMPLIANT PDF files.  Hence, you may not use it to create PDFs for general distribution; e.g., via web sites or mass e-mailings.
• The security/virus threat posed by Microsoft Internet Explorer is too great to leave it configured as the default web browser.  The new Firefox web browser is our new default web browser.  This means that if you click an Internet link in an email message or from within other programs, Firefox will open to connect you to that website, not Internet Explorer.  Some websites REQUIRE Internet Explorer.  For example the new PlatoWeb learning system only works in Internet Explorer.  You may continue to run Internet Explorer from the Start Menu on your computer.  Its a good idea to get used to using Firefox for most web browsing.  Firefox is the orange and green icon on the QuickLaunch bar.  If you look closely, the orange perimeter is a cute little fox wrapping itself around the globe.
• University College staff will begin using a new E-Mail system this Fall.  Groupwise, the same system used by UMA and USM, will be available late this summer.  Online training materials (including video and help documents for Pegasus and IMP users) are being developed to assist staff making the transition to Groupwise.  Groupwise includes a web interface for access from off-campus and a calendaring/appointment management system.
• The newest version of Symantec Antivirus is better at detecting spyware and adware.  Hence you may receive more warnings about threats found on your computer from malicious websites, email, etc.  UNET staff receive these reports automatically but you may still want to call Techsupport to report a threat warning if you are concerned.
  
• By the end of our summer upgrade project all UC Staff will have Microsoft Office 2003 and Windows XP on their computers.
  

Additional changes will be communicated as we become aware of them.  Please feel free to contact TechSupport if you have any questions.